


I Have No Idea Why There Is a Robot In This

by featherlight221b



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Developing Friendships, Fluff and Humor, It's not very shippy, M/M, Ultimate Talent Development Plan (Dangan Ronpa), but i guess it gets a little philosophical and sad for a few sentences, can be read as platonic, there is a robot in this and i honestly don't know why
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:54:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29228034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/featherlight221b/pseuds/featherlight221b
Summary: “Oh,” Komaeda seems just as surprised upon seeing him and Hajime can swear he sees the guy look at Sonia with disappointment and betrayal before schooling his expression into a neutral one, his lips pressed into a polite smile. “I wasn’t aware that this was a reserve course inclusive event. How thoughtful of the Ultimate Princess to try and make everyone feel like they belong.”Today is the day. The second Sonia looks away, he’s going to punch Komaeda.
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito, Sonia Nevermind/Tanaka Gundham
Comments: 1
Kudos: 74





	I Have No Idea Why There Is a Robot In This

“Sonia.”

“Yes, Hinata?”

“What am I looking at?”

Sonia scowls slightly and puffs out her cheeks in a manner that would perhaps look cute if not for the fact that Hajime is sleep-deprived, running mostly on energy drinks, trying to learn enough to pass his upcoming tests and really not in the mood to have fliers shoved in his face. Although “shoved” isn’t exactly the right word, the flier was rather put gracefully on top of the page he was reading, successfully covering the text and startling him.

“Hinata, you’re a reserve course student, it’s required of you to know how to read!” Sonia tells him sternly, pointing at the flier.

_ Are the main course students  _ not _ required to know how to read…? _ Oh, well. It never does much good to try and understand how the Ultimates’ education actually works.

“I’m sorry, Sonia, let me rephrase my question,” Hajime says. “ _ Why _ am I looking at this?”

_ This _ being an advertisement of a new theme park that apparently opened recently not that far from where Hope’s Peak is. It seems to be a horror-styled one, if the bloody red letters on the dark blue background or the highlighted words TERROR and HAUNTED and NIGHTMARES are anything to go by.

“Why, I am inviting you of course,” Sonia says, in a tone that suggests that it should be obvious.

“Um. Okay.” He’s not sure where this is going. They’re friends, yes, but they don’t hang out outside of school, and he knows for a fact that Sonia has friends closer than him who’d probably love to go with her to a horror-themed park. “Is it like… a group hang-out, or…?”

“Well, Gundham is going with us,” she says.

_ Going with us? Did she just assume I’m gonna agree? Wait, no, that’s not the issue here _ .

“So I’m supposed to third wheel on your date with Gundham?”

And – okay, that might not have come out the best way, he didn’t mean to sound rude. But the point still stands, even if he feels a little guilty when Sonia frowns at him.

“Hinata, I would  _ not _ invite a friend to ‘third-wheel’,” she says. “You are my friend and you are Gundham’s friend as well and we want to spend time with you. Will you be able to make it on Friday after school?”

“Yes, but I’m not sure if, uh…” he glances at the flier once again. “A ‘nightmarish theme park of despair’ is – “

“Excellent. We shall see you then at the entrance to the park at three,” Sonia cuts him off, then turns around before gracefully walking out of the classroom, leaving quite a few of Hajime’s classmates to stare after the princess and then at the dumbfounded Hajime.

Natsumi slides into the chair next to him and steals away the flier. The theme park does seem like something she would be interested in, Hajime thinks, and it must be a correct assumption because her eyes light up as she reads the information printed on the piece of paper.

“Huh, you were gonna reject  _ this _ ?” she asks in surprise, then scoffs. “Ha, figure, you’re one of those who pee their pants just listening to ghost stories, aren’t you?”

“What –  _ no _ , I’m not scared of ghosts, I’m just not a fan of horror either,” Hajime argues.

“Right, keep telling yourself that,” Natsumi snorts. “But you  _ are _ going, right?”

“I – don’t know? Maybe? I still have to study,” he says.

Natsumi rolls her eyes.

“Hey, Hinata, I get the whole trying to be the best thing, but you need to learn when to take a break, you know? Besides, if they really are your friends and you’re not just being buddy-buddy with that class because they’re in the main course then you’ll have fun.”

Hajime splutters.

“Of course they’re my friends, you  _ know _ that!”

“Sure, but not everyone does. Don’t tell me you never heard people whispering about you sucking up to the Ultimates.”

“Well, I don’t care what they say, it’s my business who I hang out with.”

“I care what they think, I don’t wanna have to be embarrassed when I’m seen with you,” Natsumi tells him with an eye roll.

Hajime frowns. “Weren’t you the one who spent the whole previous year talking about getting transferred to the main course?”

“Shut up.”

He’s about to say something in response, though he’s not sure what, but he doesn’t get the chance to because of the bell ringing, signaling the start of the next lesson and almost immediately after that the teacher walks in, putting an end to any attempts at talking, at least for now.

Hajime looks at the flier one more time. Most of the attractions mentioned don’t seem all that fun, but there is one that catches his attention. An escape-room-like labyrinth. Or, to be more precise, “DEADLY LABYRINTH OF DESPAIR”. That could be interesting, maybe. Perhaps he  _ should _ think of going. Natsumi is right after all, Sonia and Gundham are his friends. They invited him because they want him to come. He’d have fun with them, he  _ knows  _ that. Besides, no matter how much he feels like he needs to, wasting away his youth studying isn’t the way to go. Thank goodness for Chiaki drilling it into his head over the past year that he doesn’t need to be the best or on the level of the Ultimates to be worth something. He can be as average as possible and still be friends with whoever he wants without feeling undeserving.

It’s with that mentality that he shows up at the entrance of the theme park on Friday, honestly looking forward to it. His happiness lasts until he notices that there’s someone else waiting aside from Sonia and Gundham.

“Oh,” Komaeda seems just as surprised upon seeing him and Hajime can swear he sees the guy look at Sonia with disappointment and betrayal before schooling his expression into a neutral one, his lips pressed into a polite smile. “I wasn’t aware that this was a reserve course inclusive event. How thoughtful of the Ultimate Princess to try and make everyone feel like they belong.”

Today is the day. The second Sonia looks away, he’s going to punch Komaeda.

“Nice to see you too, Komaeda. I didn’t know you’d be tagging along,” he says, then turns to look at Sonia, making sure to convey with his gaze how lied to he feels.

“Oh, I wasn’t, really, but Sonia insisted that I come with,” Komaeda says.

Hajime decides that he and Sonia need to have a conversation after this.

“Do not waste your breath on such a pointless exchange of words, fiends,” Gundham interrupts them. “We have come here with a purpose and we shall now enter this fortress of darkness.”

And so they go to get the tickets. Once they’re inside, it becomes noticeable how few people aside from the four of them are there. The theme park has been open for two weeks already, from what Hajime found out, who knows how long it’s going to last before it has to shut down if that’s the usual amount of visitors.

“Ha, it seems as if my presence scared any low-rank creatures away,” Gundham muses.

“No, your presence is far too powerful for such mediocre beings to even realize how they should cower in terror,” Sonia says. “I’d say the issue lies in the fact that the park’s advertising is, to put it lightly, shit. I wouldn’t have ever found out about it if it wasn’t for Junko.”

At that, Komaeda frowns slightly.

“Enoshima?” he asks.

“Yes,” Sonia confirms. “She found the flier on the street during her walk and was thoughtful enough to present it to me.” Then, her gaze darts to one of the first attractions they come across – a “BLOODY WATER SLIDE OF HORROR”. Hajime has to admit, the red-colored water really is a nice touch. “Oh! How thrilling! Let us go there!”

She takes the hand of the suddenly blushing Gundham and leads him towards the stairs leading up to the entrance to the water slide, leaving Hajime and Komaeda with no choice but to follow.

He wonders how wet their clothes will get in the next two minutes or so, but at least the weather is hot today, they should dry quickly.

And in all honesty, it’s fun. He doesn’t squeal in excitement like Sonia does all the way down at every turn of the slide or when the music played from speakers turns ominous like out of a horror movie when a jump scare is approaching, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t enjoying himself.

Komaeda, on the other hand, looks positively grim as they head to the next spot, a row of stands with your typical shooting games, except with the targets shaped and painted like zombies.

“You don’t look like you’re having fun,” Hajime points out.

Komaeda snorts.

“Well, Hinata, let’s just say this park isn’t exactly… my sort of thing,” he says.

Hajime looks around. Right, is this because of the whole despair thing? He and Komaeda might not be friends but they’ve known each other long enough for Hajime to be aware of the other’s obsession with hope, as confusing as it is sometimes.

“Why did you come then?”

“It’s quite simple, actually! It’s by overcoming despair that bright hope can be born!” Komaeda tells him.

“So, uh, it’s a bit like with your luck cycle? How bad luck results in good luck?” Hajime asks, remembering what the boy said to him before when he attempted to talk to him.

At that, Komaeda looks offended.

“Not quite, no, though I suppose I shouldn’t expect you to understand, you’re  _ not _ one of the symbols of hope after all,” he mutters. “Well, Hinata, it might look similar to you, but to say it’s a cycle would be overestimating despair when it’s just a mere stepping stone for a  _ much _ more powerful hope.”

Right. He’s not sure he gets it. And more importantly –

“Okay, but… this is just a theme park?”

Komaeda laughs. “I know, right? Not even a true tragedy. Such bad luck, wouldn’t you say?”

“Ah, not really, no…”

They’ve reached the stands by now and Sonia is trying her hand at one of the shooting games, almost succeeding each time. Komaeda watches her trying to beat the probably rigged challenge, then aims himself at the target and hits it without any problems, winning a rather ugly neon yellow wristband.

“Hey, Hinata,” he turns to him. “Do you want the prize?”

“Huh?”

“The prize,” Komaeda waves the wristband in front of his face and chuckles awkwardly. “I know a gift from myself isn’t much of a gift, but still, I thought I would offer.”

That’s… surprisingly nice of him. Somewhat wary, Hajime takes the wristband and Komaeda smiles at him. He waits for the insult that must surely be following but it doesn’t come. Strange.

“Most fascinating, you truly are in possession of astonishing fortune, fiend,” Gundham muses as he looks at Komaeda.

“Ah, no, it’s nothing as grand as your or Sonia’s talent,” Komaeda protests. “Well, shall we get going? There’s still a lot of things ahead of us.”

There’s a Ferris wheel, which isn’t very interesting but isn’t that bad either, there’s a rollercoaster which is terrifyingly fast and both Gundham and Komaeda look like they’re about to die midway through the ride, but Hajime finds it rather fun even if he’s not as joyful as Sonia once she steps off the rollercoaster and announces she’d like to go again, and soon they reach the thing he’s been looking forward to the most, the DEADLY LABYRINTH OF DESPAIR. Komaeda frowns at the name, because of course he does, but he fails at hiding his curiosity as they head inside.

It really is like an escape room, they are led by an underground tunnel and then a set of stairs back to the surface to a locked room in the middle of the labyrinth. There’s creepy choir music playing from the speakers and tacky decorations that mean to add to the atmosphere but look just a little bit funny. Still, the riddles they have to solve to get out of the first room are good, they’re a reasonable difficulty but still interesting. Komaeda turns out to be unexpectedly helpful, though perhaps it shouldn’t be  _ that  _ surprising, because despite how ridiculous the guy can be, Hajime knows that Komaeda is extremely intelligent and perceptive. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s actually willing to cooperate that’s more surprising. Is that because of Sonia that he’s trying not to stir up trouble? Probably, because Komaeda’s classmates are among the people Komaeda actually isn’t living just to annoy the hell out of. And Sonia is invested in the riddles as well, though she gets pretty distracted admiring the décor and telling Gundham excitedly what horror movie it reminds her of.

“Surprisingly impressive, Hinata! I’m rather shocked,” Komaeda tells him once they are able to unlock the door and go further into the labyrinth, now walking through one of its corridors.

“I’m… not sure if you’re trying to compliment or insult me,” Hajime says.

“Hmm… that’s a good question! But I’ll let you figure that one out yourself, I’d hate to impose my own interpretation on others!”

“ _ You’re _ the one who said it though,” he points out.

Komaeda has the audacity to look surprised.

“Oh! That’s right, it  _ was _ me who said it!” he admits. “Still, I’d rather leave that up for your interpretation.”

Then he smiles at Hajime and it’s difficult to say if he’s laughing at him or if he’s just in a good mood or actually trying to be friendly. That’s who Komaeda is though, it’s impossible most of the time to tell what he’s thinking.

Hajime rolls his eyes at him. “Well, whatever. Hey, Sonia, do you think – um. Sonia? Gundham?” he stops walking and looks around. Neither of his friends are anywhere in sight. Crap, has he been so caught up arguing with Komaeda that they didn’t notice when Sonia and Gundham went a different way or something like that?

Of course they get separated in a labyrinth of all places.

“Oh,” Komaeda seems to realize what situation they’re currently in. “That’s unfortunate.”

“Yeah, you don’t say,” Hajime mutters, then tries calling out louder. “Sonia? Gundham?”

He’s met with silence. Well, silence except for the creepy music that’s still playing.

“I don’t think they can hear us,” Komaeda says.

Crap. Not only that, there’s a corridor going to the left and another on going right ahead of them, and there’s no telling which one their friends chose.

“What should we do now?” Hajime wonders out loud.

Komaeda seems to think about it for a moment, then shrugs. “Let’s go with the left one.”

“Huh? Is there a reason you chose that one or are you just – “

“I’m just relying on my luck,” Komaeda finishes for him, already turning to the corridor on the left.

“Right.”

He doesn’t like this, but it’s not like he has a better plan, so Hajime’s left with no choice but to follow after the other boy. The corridor doesn’t go on for much longer until they are faced with another door with a lock. There’s a four numbers long code to put in, but there seems to be nothing around, just the floor, the walls, the door itself and some faint light.

Komaeda crouches down and starts inspecting the walls. Ah, good idea. Hajime goes to check the other wall and after a moment he notices a small hatch hidden by the shadows. He tries to open it but it’s locked. There’s a small keyhole there.

“Hey, Komaeda, I found – “

“It was underneath one of the floor panels,” Komaeda cuts him off and waves a key in front of his face.

Hajime blinks, startled.

“Oh. Thanks?”

He takes the key from Komaeda and thankfully it really is a key to the hatch. Inside of it rests a slip of paper with “MONDAY, SUNDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, <=” written on it.

“Should we put in the numbers of which day in the week each of these are, but in backwards order?” he wonders.

“That might be it,” Komaeda agrees and walks over to the lock. He puts in the numbers and after a moment, a beeping sound can be heard and the lock comes off. “Heh, looks like it worked.”

Behind it is another dark corridor. The music in it changes, no longer ominous but actually rather upbeat, like from an 80s’ arcade game.

“Well, that’s a strange choice of music,” he mutters.

“Yeah, it’s awful,” Komaeda says bluntly, scrunching up his nose.

It’s amusing how offended he looks by the new song and Hajime can’t help but to chuckle at that. Komaeda gives him a confused look but he just shakes his head.

“It’s nothing. Sorry.”

“Oh. If you say so. Let’s get going then, Hinata, I’m sure you don’t want to be stuck here with me for longer than necessary.”

“Right, and you’re probably despairing over being stuck with a reserve course student?” he guesses.

Komaeda hums for a moment as if pondering the question.

“Ah, not exactly,” he says, then turns to look at Hajime. “Are you under the impression that I dislike you?”

Hajime opens his mouth to answer but then stops and thinks about it. The truth is, he’s not sure.  _ Does _ Komaeda dislike him? He acts like he looks down on him most of the time, that’s for sure. He’s rather harsh and rude with his words, but then he still talks to Hajime whenever they run into each other, still answers his questions and can even be friendly when he feels like it. So maybe that’s not it.

“I don’t know, do you?” he asks. “I’ve kind of assumed you’re annoyed by me because you think I don’t know my place as a reserve course student.”

“Well, it’s true that you don’t. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though, if it works for you,” Komaeda tells him.

Huh. That’s new.

“It’s not?” Hajime repeats. “So then why…?”

Komaeda isn’t looking at him. He stares ahead of himself and keeps walking as he answers.

“If I had to answer truthfully… I suppose the honest answer would be that I’m quite jealous of you,” he says.

Hajime feels taken aback.

“Jealous? Why are  _ you  _ jealous of  _ me _ ?”

“Or maybe bitter would be the better word?” Komaeda muses. “Jealous, bitter… oh, sometimes I feel angry as well. Heh, it looks like I feel many different negative emotions about you, Hinata!”

“Um.”

“Not that I don’t feel any positive ones! Quite the opposite, I think it’s admirable how stubborn you are or how easily you get along with others or how  _ hopeful _ you can be despite being average,” Komaeda tells him. It’s the first time Hajime ever hears those things. He’s  _ admirable _ ?  _ Komaeda _ thinks that? “I also feel like your attitude is unfair. Or rather, ungrateful. It’s not a bad thing for you that you don’t know your place but it’s still upsetting nonetheless. You were born a no one, you know that, right? And yet you’re trying so hard to become someone. But that’s not how the universe works. You  _ can’t _ do that. You  _ can’t _ succeed at that. You can’t choose hope if it doesn’t choose you first. You  _ shouldn’t _ be able to do that. It’s not – “his voice cracks a little. Komaeda goes quiet for a moment, then clears his throat and finishes, his voice colder but also undeniably  _ hurt _ . “People don’t get to choose the life they’re given. It’s arrogant to try to be an exception to that.”

Hajime is pretty sure there’s something here that he doesn’t understand.

“That… does sound like you dislike me,” he says. “And I’m not sure what you said has to do with you being jealous of me.”

Komaeda chuckles humorlessly.

“You still don’t understand?” he asks. “It’s because – “

“Wait. Be quiet.”

“Huh? But weren’t you the one who asked in the first place, Hi – “

“No, I’m serious,  _ be quiet _ .”

Komaeda stops talking and after a moment surprise flashes in his eyes as he hears it too – the buzzing sound in the distance, undoubtedly coming closer and closer to them with each second. It sounds a bit like the sound a remote control toy car makes as it drives, except louder. It must be something heavier, bigger.

“That’s strange,” Komaeda concludes.

They wait for a bit longer, and soon a  _ thing _ emerges from the darkness. A robot – a huge cat head on wheels, moving straight towards them. Its eyes glow bright red and as it opens its mouth, a barrel of a gun comes out and fires at the floor right between the two of them. Yellow paint splashes on the ground. It’s a robot with a paintball gun coming out of its mouth.

“What the fuck,” Hajime utters.

Komaeda stares at it with just as much confusion, but then the robot turns towards Hajime and aims right at him and he’s not wearing a paintball vest because  _ why would he be _ . Just before the robot fires at him, Komaeda grabs his wrists and runs, dragging Hajime along with him.

“It might not be deadly but it’ll hard pretty badly!” Komaeda tells him, and they’re gonna get lost for sure as more turns and different paths to choose from appear ahead of them, but maybe they’ll at least lose the robot as well. “It’s rather surprising something like that would be here! I guess it really is a theme park of despair!”

“ _ What the fuck _ ,” Hajime repeats.

Komaeda laughs and turns left so suddenly and sharply that Hajime almost trips over his own feet. Still, he’s grateful for the quick interference and hopes that Komaeda’s luck actually manages to save them.

Just as he thinks that, Komaeda  _ does _ trip over and falls face down onto the floor.

“Crap. Are you okay?” Hajime asks.

“… Peachy,” Komaeda mutters.

Hajime laughs awkwardly and helps him up. Komaeda blinks somewhat dazedly and looks around. Hajime follows his gaze. It looks like at least for now they’ve lost the robotic cat head.

“Jeez, that was close,” he remarks.

“Yeah,” Komaeda says, rubbing at his shoulder which he must have hit while falling, then frowns. “We need to talk to whoever worked on the labyrinth if we make it out of here.”

“You mean  _ when _ we get out of here.”

“You never know, Hinata,” Komaeda singsongs, but he doesn’t sound half as cheerful as he probably means to.

He must feel pretty upset, hitting the ground with your face must hurt.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks.

“Yeah. I just – a second,” Komaeda says and moves to sit on the floor.

Hajime hesitates for a moment then sits down next to him. For a few moments, they’re quiet. It’s a bit awkward, so he eventually speaks:

“So, what were you going to say?”

“What do you mean, Hinata?”

“Before the robot appeared. You were going to explain why you’re jealous of me.”

“Oh.” Komaeda falls silent. The corners of his lips turn downwards and he stares at the ground for a few long seconds before letting out a heavy sigh. He straightens his back then looks at Hajime again. “Well, it’s because of this.”

“This?”

“I was lucky enough to help you from the robot, but then something bad happened to me, didn’t it?”

“So you’re talking about your luck cycle.”

Komaeda nods. “Like I’ve said before, my talent is trash. But that’s not because it’s bullshit, it’s because it  _ isn’t _ . What kind of talent works so well it ends up either ruining the life of the person that has this talent or of everyone around them? Who’d want that kind of talent?”

Hajime doesn’t know what to say to that.

“But that doesn’t matter,” Komaeda continues. “You don’t get to choose your talent. It’s not a blessing, it’s a responsibility for the chosen ones. If you have a talent, that’s it. That’s your life. And if some people get to choose their destiny or whatever it is that you believe so strongly, Hinata… then what’s the point? Then why is my life what it is? Heh, I suppose that just means I’m even more pathetic than I thought…”

He doesn’t sound passionate like he usually does when talking about hope or talent. He mostly sounds… sad. And to his own surprise, Hajime thinks that he’s starting to understand what Komaeda’s thinking. Not all of it, but some things are finally beginning to make sense.

Not sure what to do, he puts a hand on the other’s shoulder. Komaeda looks at him in surprise.”

“Are you trying to… comfort me?” he asks.

Hajime shrugs. “I suppose so. I don’t know. Yes?” He shrugs again. “It sucks that you have a talent that causes you suffering.”

“And yet you still wanted a talent. And even without a talent, you still want to be important,” Komaeda says. “How cruel of fate to make us this way.”

“I don’t think that needs to make us enemies though,” Hajime tells him.

“Oh, I don’t consider us enemies.”

“But we’re not friends, are we?”

Komaeda gives him an incredulous look.

“Friends? Hinata, are you saying you want to be friends? With me?”

“I mean, sure? That’s definitely better than antagonizing each other, isn’t it?”

Slightly reluctant, Komaeda nods.

“Perhaps…” he admits.

Hajime smiles.

“Well then, let’s get going, frie – “ he starts saying but then cuts himself off when he hears the buzzing sound again. “Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.”

He gets up on his feet quickly and yes, there’s the robot coming towards them once again. It fires its ammunition and the paint barely misses Hajime’s arm, splashing on the wall above it instead.

“Ah. So it’s still bad luck then,” Komaeda says, standing up as well. He looks around and frowns. “The worst luck, actually. It’s a dead end, Hinata, the only way to escape is through that robot.”

“…Shit.”

“Yes,” Komaeda agrees.

“I’m never listening to Sonia about where to hang out again.”

“Oh, it’s not Sonia’s fault. I’d say –  _ duck _ .” The robot fires again and Komaeda pushes Hajime out of the way at the last second. The red stain on the wall looks like blood. “I’d say it’s Enoshima’s fault. She’s the one who gave Sonia the flier after all. I knew that listening to her would cause us despair but I never imagined it would mean…  _ that _ .”

The cat head starts moving in circles, buzzing even louder now, as if angry. It fires again. It hits the spot right next to Komaeda’s foot.

“You knew…? What do you mean?” Hajime asks, confused, trying to listen and avoid getting shot by the paintball gun at the same time. This is getting ridiculous.

“Oh, nothing much. She’s evil, that’s all there is to it.”

“Huh?”

“She  _ reeks _ of despair, Hinata.”

The next shot grazes the sleeve of his shirt. He curses under his breath.

“Isn’t she a model?”

“We might be friends now, but I’m not sure reserve course students can be trusted on the topic of hope and despair.”

“Oh  _ come on _ , it’s –  _ crap _ , are you okay?”

Komaeda scowls in pain as this time the shot hits his shoe. Hajime rushes over to his side to make sure he’s alright, realizing too late that the paintball gun is aiming at  _ him _ now and – fuck, is it aiming at his head? He has no time to duck, it’s gonna hurt like hell, why –

The robot lets out a strange sound and falls over. The red lights in its eyes fade and the buzzing stops.

What?

“Um,” is all he manages to say out loud.

There’s another sound, a quieter and much less mechanical one, and soon a hamster climbs on top of the fallen robot.

Komaeda chokes on air.

“Is that…?”

“One of the Four Dark Devas of Destruction?” Hajime finishes the question for him. “I… guess so?”

The hamster lets out an expectant squeak, then turns around and starts walking away.

“I suppose we should… follow it,” Hajime says, trying not to feel stupid putting his trust in a hamster, but Komaeda seems to be thinking the same because he follows after the small animal.

It might not be as bizarre as running away from a robotic cat head on wheels, but it still feels pretty ridiculous. He doesn’t voice his thoughts out loud though, as the Deva of Destruction seems to be their best chance of getting out of the labyrinth or at least finding Gundham and hopefully also Sonia.

It takes a while and he’s seriously beginning to doubt the power of hamsters, but eventually he can see the exit.

“I suppose it all worked out in the end,” he says.

Komaeda looks rather grim. “But is it really worth it the humiliation of having to be saved by a hamster?” he asks.

“Well… it  _ is _ a hamster of an Ultimate,” Hajime points out. “Aren’t you usually impressed by this sort of stuff?”

Komaeda glares at him. “Aren’t you usually more ambitious than being fine with a hamster being more competent than you?”

Okay, ouch. He does have a point though.

When they finally exit the damn labyrinth, the Dark Deva of Destruction happily returns to a proud-looking Gundham, meanwhile Sonia lets out a cry of relief upon seeing them.

“Thank goodness both of you are okay, we were worried you got lost!”

“Technically, we did,” Hajime says.

“What matters is you found the way out in the end!” Sonia tells him. “I knew you could overcome your differences and work together!”

What?

“Uh. Sonia, did you… let us get lost on purpose?”

“Ridiculous,” it’s now Gundham who speaks. “It’s you fiends who let yourself lose to your worthless rivalry and lost the way in the process. You were beyond saving by the time we noticed your mysterious disappearance. Be grateful for the interference from San-D.”

“So we can’t say it’s thanks to us working together that we got out,” Komaeda points out.

“But you do admit you worked together!” Sonia notices. “Does that mean you two are friends now?”

Komaeda looks a little lost at the question, and he looks at Hajime for an answer. Hajime smiles at him reassuringly.

“I… think so,” he says. “Yeah. We are.”

“Splendid!” Sonia claps her hands together. “Now, the labyrinth has taken up quite a lot of time, so I’m afraid we should soon leave the park and head back.”

The image of the robot from the labyrinth flashes in front of Hajime’s eyes.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “I think that might be for the best.”


End file.
